A teenage dirt bike rider who survived a horrific crash by applying a makeshift tourniquet as he lay injured and alone in bushland would have a bright future as a paramedic, his rescuers say.
Key points:
- 14-year-old dirt bike rider Shaun Spinks crashed into a tree at more than 100 km/h
- Bleeding badly he tore his shirt and pants off to create a makeshift tourniquet
- Paramedics say his quick thinking saved his life and want him to consider a career with the Queensland Ambulance Service
Shaun Spinks, 14, was riding solo on a secluded track in the Gold Coast hinterland last month when he hit a tree at more than 100 kilometres per hour.
The impact knocked him out, broke his leg in two places, cracked his pelvis and a rib and tore a 10-15 centimetre gash in his leg.
Shaun, who was reunited today with the paramedics who treated him, said when he woke up he knew he had already lost a lot of blood.
As quickly as he could he tore his pants and shirt from his body and used them as a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it when I saw the hole — it was a lot bigger than I thought it was,” he said.
“It just came to my head to stop the blood because I know your body doesn’t have that much — I mean it’s got a bit but [not with] the amount that was coming out.”
As well as his body and bike, the collision shattered Shaun’s phone.
The teenager said he fumbled with the mangled device trying to make it work for about 10 minutes.
“That was the only thing I could really hope for, whether it worked or not,” he said.
When he finally heard the familiar voice of Siri talking to him, he immediately told the phone to call triple-0.
‘The perfect patient’
Paramedics Marissa Kukulies and Gary Berkowitz arrived at the scene within about 30 minutes.
They said Shaun’s quick thinking in applying the tourniquet undoubtedly saved his life.
“If he did not do that it would be a very different situation,” Ms Kukulies said.
“Shaun really saved his own life and then we just helped him to kick it to hospital.”
Mr Berkowitz said the teen was “stoic” in what was a traumatic and stressful situation.
“I’ve seen adults complain a lot more and behave a lot worse than he did with his pain,” he said.
“He was an example of how to be a perfect patient and be very brave at the same time.”
Shaun has undergone three surgeries to repair his broken bones and faces more before he knows if he will ride again.
In the meantime, he is being encouraged to consider a career in the ambulance service.
“I think he would make a fantastic paramedic,” Ms Kukulies said.
“I’d be his reference.”
Shaun said the prospect of driving an ambulance had a certain appeal.
“It’d be pretty fun I reckon. Speeding through traffic lights sounds alright.”